devoid
Americanadjective
verb (used with object)
adjective
Etymology
Origin of devoid
1350–1400; Middle English, originally past participle < Anglo-French, for Old French desvuidier to empty out, equivalent to des- dis- 1 + vuidier to empty, void
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
On Thursday morning, traffic was already backed up on stretches of the Pacific Coast Highway before sunrise and the sidewalks along Wilshire Boulevard were no more devoid of pedestrians than is typical.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Interacting with an accountant can make you feel uneasy if you grew up in a household devoid of money talk.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 13, 2026
"They were devoid of confidence - it was awful."
From BBC • Mar. 10, 2026
During that era at least, Fischer said Lucas and Coppola seemed ”completely devoid of any self-awareness.”
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
It’s a funny thing to complain about, but most of America is perfectly devoid of smells.
From "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbara Kingsolver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
